King John & Henry VIII (72 page)

Authors: William Shakespeare

39
phrase
call, term

40
perform … compass
enact unimaginable feats

40
compass
bounds, limit

41
that … credit
so that tales formerly thought to be mythical and far-fetched gained such credibility

43
Bevis
the tale of Bevis of Hampton; the hero of an early English romance, he carried out legendary feats of chivalry and skill

44
go far
are making very great claims/exaggerate

45
belong to worship
hold high rank, am a nobleman

45
affect … honesty
respect integrity in matters of honor

46
tract
narrative, course of events

47
discourser
narrator

47
lose … to
fall short in describing the actual vivid events

49
To … rebelled
i.e. nothing interfered with the arrangement and handling of events

50
Order … view
good preparations meant that everything was visible

50
The … function
officials carried out their respective duties properly

54
sport
entertainment

55
certes
certainly

55
promises no element
is not in his usual role

58
ordered
organized

58
discretion
judgment

59
Cardinal of York
i.e. Wolsey

60
speed
prosper, i.e. dispatch, hasten to his death

62
fierce
high-spirited/warlike

62
vanities
entertainments/extravagances

63
keech
lump of animal fat (probably alludes to Wolsey’s origins as a butcher’s son as well as to his size)

64
Take up
absorb, occupy

64
o’th’beneficial
plays on the sense of “granting benefices” (ecclesiastical positions)

64
sun
i.e. King Henry VIII

67
stuff
substance, personal traits (plays on the sense of “meat for stuffing a pie”)

67
puts
encourages, provokes

68
ancestry
i.e. high birth

68
grace
honor, renown, virtue

69
Chalks
shows

70
high feats
important services

71
eminent assistants
noble patrons/influential helpers

72
self-drawing
self-made

72
a
he

72
a … note
he lets us know

75
next to
intimately close to/next in status to

77
graver
more reverend, wiser

80
niggard
miser

81
he
i.e. Wolsey

84
going out
expedition

85
privity
private knowledge and consent

86
attend on him
i.e. accompany the king to France (a costly enterprise)

86
file
register, list

87
such … upon
i.e. those listed will have to pay a disproportionately large amount for the small honor bestowed on them

89
own letter
personal summons (to
attend
)

90
board of council
i.e. Privy Council, the king’s advisers

90
out
disregarded, not consulted

91
fetch … papers
summon whoever is listed

91
papers
sets down on paper

94
sickened
weakened, depleted

95
abound
prosper, be wealthy

97
laying … ’em
selling property to pay for fine clothes

98
vanity
foolish extravagance (i.e. the lavish meeting of the two kings)

99
minister … issue
provide the opportunity for a useless discussion (
communication
may possibly play on the sense of “sexual procreation,” and
poor issue
does play on the sense of “impoverished children”; the sale of assets will affect the noblemen’s heirs)

101
Grievingly
sadly

102
not values
is not worth

106
inspired
i.e. with divine, prophetic power

106
not consulting
without consulting one another, independently

107
general
universal

108
Dashing
destroying

108
aboded
predicted, foretold

109
on’t
of it

110
is budded out
has developed, come to pass

111
flawed
broken, contravened

111
attached
seized

113
therefore
for that reason

114
silenced
placed under house arrest

115
Marry
by the Virgin Mary

116
proper title of
fine name for

117
superfluous rate
very high cost

119
carried
managed

120
Like it
may it please

121
state
Privy Council/the king

121
difference
dispute, discord

124
read
consider/interpret

125
potency
power

127
would
wishes to

127
wants
lacks

128
minister
agent

132
darts
thrusts

132
Bosom up
keep secret/take to heart

133
wholesome
healthy, beneficial

133
Lo
look

134
purse
containing the great seal of England, used by the king to authenticate documents; the Lord Chancellor (Wolsey) was its official keeper

135
surveyor
estate manager

136
examination
deposition, statement

141
big
proud, haughty

141.1
train
retinue, attendants

142
butcher’s cur
another reference to Wolsey’s origins as a butcher’s son

142
cur
dog

144
beggar’s … blood
a poor man’s (i.e. Wolsey’s) learning is more highly valued than a nobleman’s lineage

146
chafed
irritated, angry

147
temp’rance
self-control, moderation

147
th’appliance only
the only remedy

150
Matter
substance, something significant (plays on the sense of “rheum, infected ocular discharge”)

151
abject object
despicable view

152
bores
cheats

155
choler
anger

158
full hot
very headstrong, overly hasty

159
Self-mettle
his own vigorous spirit

163
mouth of honour
i.e. gentleman’s mouth

163
quite
completely

164
Ipswich
Wolsey’s birthplace, a town in Suffolk in eastern England

165
difference
distinction of rank

166
advised
warned

170
overrunning
running past it

171
mounts
causes to rise up, i.e. boils

176
allay
diminish, moderate/mix, alloy

179
prescription
direction, advice

179
top-proud
proud to the highest degree

180
gall
bile, bitterness

181
motions
motives

181
intelligence
secret information

182
founts
springs

186
vouch
affirmation, allegation

188
equal
just as

189
subtle
cunning

190
place
official position (as Lord Chancellor)

192
pomp
greatness, splendor

193
suggests
persuades, encourages, tempts

194
last
recent

194
th’interview
the meeting (between the French and English kings)

195
treasure
money, wealth

196
i’th’wrenching
in the rinsing/distortion of meaning

198
give me favour
i.e. permit me to continue

199
articles
clauses, terms

199
o’th’combination
of the treaty

199
drew
drafted, drew up

201
end
effect, use

202
count-cardinal
i.e. cardinal behaving like an aristocrat (contemptuous); often emended to “court-cardinal”

206
dam
mother

206
Charles the Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, Katherine of Aragon’s nephew

208
colour
pretext

209
whisper
whisper to

213
privily
privately, secretly

214
trow
believe

216
ere
before

217
but
only

219
he
i.e. Wolsey

222
his
i.e. the king’s

222
he
i.e. Wolsey

226
Something
somewhat

226
mistaken
misunderstood, misrepresented

229
in proof
when put to the test/in fact, according to evidence

230
office
duty, task

233
Hertford
historically Hereford, to which some editors emend

238
device and practice
plots and stratagems

240
look on
witness

241
pleasure
will

242
th’Tower
the Tower of London

243
nothing
in no way

255
t’attach
to arrest

255
bodies
persons

260
o’th’Chartreux
of the Carthusian order—a monastical order noted for its severity

263
false
disloyal

264
showed him gold
bribed him (to betray Buckingham; whether the surveyor lies or reveals an actual plot is unclear)

264
spanned
measured out

265
shadow … Buckingham
the shadowy likeness of my former self

267
Whose … sun
my form being now obscured by cloud and its former innocent brightness (
clear sun
) dimmed/my form being shrouded by a sudden cloud that darkens my king’s favor (
sun
)

1.2
Cornets
hornlike wind instruments (here announcing the king’s arrival)

1.2
under … feet
standing at the foot of the king’s throne or dais on which it sits

1
best heart
very essence

2
level
aim, target sights

3
full-charged
fully loaded

3
confederacy
conspiracy, plot

6
justify
prove, confirm

8
state
throne

9
we
the royal plural

9
suitor
person with a request to make, favor to ask

10
place
your official place as queen

12
moiety
half